Are luminous watches and light switches dangerous because of their radioactivity
Question by Hero12 | 2012-03-11 at 09:49
In our house, there are several lucent light switches. I've always wondered how this can work technically, since no light bulb is installed inside them. On the Internet, it was coming out, that these light switches are radioactive!
Of course, I was shocked and had to find thereafter, that various watches and controls in our household, are also brushed with this radioactive luminous paint!
Now, my question is: How dangerous is the thing at all? Am I already possibly contaminated (I am living for a long time in thos apartment), and why no one is warning us?
Related Topics
Why is the sky blue?
Info | 0 Comments
What is a light year?
Info | 0 Comments
Why is radioactivity so dangerous?
Question | 2 Answers
Why such a terrible light in fitting rooms?
Open Question | 7 Answers
Deep wet spots and puddles of water: Dangerous for car and engine?
Question | 1 Answer
Solarium instead of Light Therapy?
Question | 1 Answer
What causes Clouds?
Info | 0 Comments
Important Note
Please note: The contributions published on askingbox.com are contributions of users and should not substitute professional advice. They are not verified by independents and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of askingbox.com. Learn more.
Participate
Ask your own question or write your own article on askingbox.com. That’s how it’s done.
Certainly, you are not contaminated, because all of these things coated with fluorescent paint are containing only very little radioactivity.
If you can borrow a Geiger counter somewhere, you can convince yourself about the fact, that there is probably not much radiation that emanates from the light switch.
Severe, it is only, when the color becomes brittle with the time and begins flaking off. Then it can happen, that you inhale parts of it, for example through the dust in your apartment. And once something radioactive is in your body, it radiates to all sides and that possibly for years. Then it gets bad.
Thus, if you want to play it safe, I would replace the radioactive luminating things and no longer use them. If they are brittle, you should immediately dispose them. Apart from that, probably not much bad had happened to you till now. Finally, you are still alive.
2012-03-14 at 09:39
The radiation levels are actually so low, that you need not be afraid. Not quite sure, I would have felt, however, on very old components, which was produced at a time, when they did not know about the dangers. Because, I can imagine that in those times, they had used very much radiation to make it "good".
2012-03-11 at 15:05
In the case of watches, the radiation should actually already be shielded by the watch glass, so that at this point, there should be no danger. In contrast, light switches may in fact become slightly crumbly with the time and with this, radiation can somehow get into the body. Be careful here, especially with children!
Nowadays, such light colors are also no longer in use! It is certainly better that way!
2012-03-16 at 23:24